Story by Josephine Mugiyo
THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has set sights on increasing its exports to 30% this year in addition to its mandate of producing 45% of the country’s strategic grain reserves.
ARDA currently runs over 400 irrigation schemes across the country and has 19 000 hectares under irrigation.
Mandated by government to produce at least 45% of the country’s grain reserve requirements, the entity has put in place a road map to ensure this is attainable.
As they work with the various irrigation schemes ensuring they are run as viable business units, ARDA Chief Executive Officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko says this year’s focus is also on increasing production of export crops to 30% from the current 12% at its several irrigation schemes dotted countrywide.
“We are working with parastatals like ZIMTRADE, for marketing and production of our crops, at least 30 % of our production we intend to do it from export crops to generate the much needed foreign currency,” said Mr Mhiko.
Mr Mhiko also noted that the institution is working to ensure value addition and this has been exhibited at plants like the ARDA run BEST Food Processing Plant in Norton which processes various fruits into paste.
“Then value addition and beneficiation. Late last year we operationalised and retooled best food processors. It produces 100 tonnes of tomatoes per day. We have gone further to guarantee a market for the villagers thus impacting GDP at village level, to produce for this processing factor,” he added.
A visit to the BEST Fruit Processing Plant revealed that the entity is ramping up production of tomato paste this season. The produce is collected from communal farmers.
ARDA Director Commercial Services, Mr Dominic Sadziwa said the Norton based plant has the capacity to produce 100 tonnes of fresh fruit daily. He said for 2025 they aim to produce 22 500 tonnes of tomato paste which has a ready market both locally and regionally. He also highlighted that by the end of the year, the plant will move from just producing pastes to the production of juices.
“We want to go further into value addition where we can produce tomato puree and from the guava and fruits we intend to produce fruit juice and this will increase our returns. We have the local market and regionally SA prefers our tomato paste which is regarded as organic paste. We are targeting to penetrate Europe and Asia,” he said.
As part of efforts to ensure rural communities are transformed and brought on board in the production lines, the parastatal is working closely with rural communities, providing a ready market for their farm produce.
